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George Romero made NOTLD in 1968 and almost by accident created a movie genre that still has as strong an effect now as it did then. This is the first modern zombie movie and has influenced all other zombie movies made since, directly or indirectly without exception.
The story at its most basic follows a group of survivors seeking refuge in a farmhouse as the undead close in on them. It introduces us to the characters one by one and that is what they are, characters, to your stereotypical clichés that we find in our more modern horror, they respond in believable ways to the unreal situation presented to them. Romero goes as far as having his lead female becoming practically catatonic from the experience, something almost never seen in any genre of cinema.
Group tension amongst the survivors pushes the plot along and is palpable in the scenes, especially between the two male protagonists. These scenes set the tone and gives the film a feeling of claustrophobia. The zombies are as horrific as they need to be adding the element of external fear and closing danger to the film, as the movie is shot in black and white the makeup was reasonably simple and effective. There is nothing glitz in this film.
NOTLD is much more then it’s plot, it discusses relevant social issues and still strikes a chord with modern watchers. It is serious and tough and all the better for it. There are no moments of levity or witty one liners, it is tense, horrific, nasty and unfair.
The film was made for little money, and doesn’t suffer because of this fact. It is probably part of the reason that it is so good. This is where it all started and should be watched because of this.
This is a great movie, with a high tension level throughout. Its grittiness and harshness are its greatest triumph and its only weakness, this movie is a hard and brutal watch with the pinnacle at its ending. It is because of this that it looses out on the top marks.
A short sighted approach and inadequate barricades, combined with an inability to work together leads to the inevitable.
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